Almanac

Calendar

Art Galleries

'85 Years 85 Artists' Exhibit Menlo College looks at the past 85 years through the eyes of artists. Artists from around the world were randomly assigned a year to illustrate. The "85 Years 85 Artists" exhibit has participating artists in 21 states, plus the Netherlands, England and Italy.Monday-Friday, March 26-July 11, 9-5 p.m. Free. Menlo College Administration Building, 1000 El Camino Real, Atherton. Call 650-543-3901. www.menlo.edu

'SpaceCase': Paintings by Jessica Eastburn The Canada College Art Gallery presents "SpaceCase," a series of paintings by local artist Jessica Eastburn. Using traditional manual methods, Eastburn has created paintings that resemble highly-digitalized artwork. A special reception will be held March 18 to celebrate the opening. Monday through Thursday, March 18-April 17, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Canada College Art Gallery, Building 9, Room 152, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Woodside. Call 650-306-3336. www.canadacollege.edu

Lee Middleman Ceramic Open Studio Lee Middleman will display his recent ceramic art in his gallery and studio in Portola Valley. This spring, Lee's work is in two national ceramic competitions and two regional exhibitions. April 12-13, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Lee Middleman's Studio and Gallery, 16 Coalmine View, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0535. www.LeeMiddleman.com

Classes/Workshops

Bottle Cap Necklaces Atherton Library will hold a do-it-yourself event where participants, age 12 and up, can make necklaces out of bottle caps. Supplies will be provided while they last. April 2, 4-5 p.m. Free. Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton. Call 650-328-2422. www.facebook.com/athertonlibrary

Brushstrokes of Chinese Painting Workshop The San Mateo County History Museum is hosting this workshop, led by artist Amy Da-Peng King. She will demonstrate the "Four Classics" of expressing feelings through brushstrokes — plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. Reservations are required by April 4. April 12, 1-4 p.m. $15. San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City. www.historysmc.org

Creative Writing Class This class will assist those interested in writing stories, either for personal satisfaction or publication. The instructor, author and feature columnist Phyllis Butler, has had her work appear in the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News and other international publications. Tuesdays, April 3-24, 1:30-2:30 p.m. $55 for all meetings; $15 drop-in class. Little House Activity Center, 800 Middle Ave., Menlo Park. Call 650-326-2025 ext. 222. www.penvol.org/littlehouse/

eBooks and eAudiobooks Help The Portola Valley library invites community members to make a one-on-one appointment to receive help accessing the library's free online books. Bring a device and any questions to this session. Please contact the library to sign up for an appointment. Wednesdays, March 19-May 28, 4-5 p.m. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560. www.smcl.org

eMagazines Class Visitors can bring their mobile devices and learn how to download digital editions of magazines. There are over 100 titles to choose from, including names like Cosmopolitan, Dwell, Food Network Magazine and more. Downloads are free to all San Mateo County Library card holders. April 4, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560. www.smcl.org

Zoom In - Video Production Workshop Zoom In is a 15-hour intensive video workshop that covers how to create a digital video, edit it, upload it to Youtube and produce a DVD. Class includes all software and equipment, plus a booklet. April 5-12, Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 2-5 p.m. $145. Midpeninsula Media Center, 900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto. Call 650-494-8686 ext. 11. www.midpenmedia.org/

Clubs/Meetings

'SRI Organon Toastmasters' Meeting Toastmasters aims to improve communication and leadership skills. Each week the organization focuses on a different topic related to public speaking. SRI Organon Toastmasters welcomes members of the community to visit and join. Each Tuesday, through April 25, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. SRI International, Building G, Laurel Ave., opposite Menlo Park City Hall, Menlo Park. www.sriorganon.com/

Community Poem at Atherton Library The Atherton Library will be celebrating National Poetry Month with a collaborative poem. All community members are invited to contribute to a collective poem created and on display in our library. April 1-30, Library hours. Free. Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton. Call 650-328-2422. www.smcl.org

'The Lost Art of Preluding' Lecture Kenneth Hamilton is an internationally recognized authority on 19th century performance styles, both as a scholar and performer. Part of Reactions to the Record, his lecture and recital will demonstrate and discuss the lost 19th-century art of preluding (adding improvised "joiners" between works on a program). April 4, 7:30 p.m. Free (registration required). Bing Concert Hall Studio, 327 Lasuen St., Stanford. music.stanford.edu/Events/StanfordMusicSymposium/2014/index.html

Alan VanEss Exhibit The work of local artist Alan VanEss is on display at the Atherton Library. VanEss's work features colorful perspectives of homes in the Atherton community, bringing together architecture and landscape. Through April, library hours. Free. Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton. Call 650-328-2422. www.smcl.org/content/atherton

American Photographs: A Cultural History Professor Alexander Nemerov designed this exhibition to illuminate his course on American photographs. The 14 works on display range from a Civil War-era photograph by Timothy O'Sullivan to street photography by Robert Frank, work by Diane Arbus from the 1960s and work by Helen Levitt from the 1970s. March 12 to July 6, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive at Museum Way, Stanford. museum.stanford.edu

Intaglio: The Art of Incision Woodcut and relief printing, intaglio, lithography and screen printing have all been used to produce book illustrations at various points in printing history. Intaglio is one of the oldest of these processes and is the focus of this exhibit. Through May 27, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Stanford Art & Architecture Library, 435 Lasuen Mall, Stanford. www.events.stanford.edu/events/428/42809/

Portola Valley Watershed Exhibit 2014 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Town of Portola Valley. The library will help celebrate throughout the month of April with a fascinating exhibit of the local watershed, including Sausal Creek. Monday-Saturday, April 1-30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560. www.smcl.org

Family and Kids

'Paws for Tales' Kids Program Atherton Library hosts a program — in partnership with the Peninsula Humane Society and the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals — where children ages 5 and up can sign up to read to a trained service dog, with the goal of improving reading skills and building confidence. Time slots are available the fourth Saturday of each month. Through June, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton. Call 650-328-2422. www.smcl.org

April Free First Friday Admission for the Museum is free all day. Children can learn about farms, create toy cotton ball sheep to take home and hear the story "Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep." Adults can take a docent led tour at 2 p.m. April 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City. www.historysmc.org

Kids' Night Out! This event, sponsored by a local Girl Scout Troop and moms, will include a big screen movie, popcorn, nut-free snacks, Bingo, a photo booth, making crafts for an animal shelter, games, face-painting and a quiet room for rest and sleeping. Ages 4 to 12 are welcome. April 5, 7-11:30 p.m. $25/child (discount for 3+ kids from same family). Hillview Middle School, 1100 Elder Ave., Menlo Park. Call 650-269-6068. auctionbabysitting.eventbrite.com

Playing with Blocks Party Woodside Library invites community children to come build and learn with blocks. Playing with blocks develops children's hand-eye coordination as well as math and science skills. April 12, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Woodside Library, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside. Call 650-851-0147. www.smcl.org

Toddler Storytime This program for children 18 months to 3 years old will include songs, stories and movement activities to encourage children to listen and read. This program is funded by the Friends of the Portola Valley Library. Crafts follow storytime. Tuesdays, March 4-April 29, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Portola Valley Library, 765 Portola Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-851-0560. www.smcl.org

Film

'All is Lost' Screening For action movie night, the Atherton Library will present "All is Lost," a film starring Robert Redford about ingenuity and resilience. Light refreshments will be provided. The movie is rated PG-13. April 11, 7-9 p.m. Free. Atherton Library, 2 Dinkelspiel Station Lane, Atherton. Call 650-328-2422. www.facebook.com/athertonlibrary

Live Music

A Tribute to Carmen McRae Karin Carson and the Denny Berthiaume Trio will put on a concert called "Dream of Life - A Tribute to Carmen McRae," celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month and McRae's birthday. Denny Berthiaume will be on piano, Chuck Bennett on bass and Curt Moore on drums. April 8, 8:30-10:30 p.m. $7 online; $12 at the door. Angelica's, 863 Main St., Redwood City. Call 650-679-8184. angelicasllc.com/index.cfm

'Evita' Musical The audience will follow Eva Peron as she climbs her way from the slums to the top of the social ladder as first lady of Argentina, in Broadway by the Bay's musical, "Evita." Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, March 28-April 13, times vary. $42-$64. Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway St., Redwood City. Call 650-369-7770. www.FoxRwc.com

'Les Misérables' by Ram's Head Ram's Head Theatrical Society at Stanford University is putting on a production of classic musical "Les Miserables," based on the novel by Victor Hugo. April 11-19, 8-10:30 p.m. $10-20. Memorial Auditorium, 551 Serra Mall, Stanford. www.musical.stanford.edu

'Medical Mission to the Philippines' Talk Chris Castillo will present an informal presentation entitled "Medical Mission to the Philippines." A simple soup supper will follow the talk as part of the church's "Thursdays in Lent" series. Please RSVP for the supper. April 10, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Ladera Community Church, 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. Call 650-854-5481. www.ladera.org

Ann Brashares Talk Ann Brashares, author of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" series, will discuss and sign her new book, "The Here and Now." The story follows 17-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was 12 — not from a different country, but a different time. April 11, 7 p.m. Free. Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call 650-324-4321. www.keplers.com/event/ya-ann-brashares

Ayelet Waldman Talk Ayelet Waldman will discuss and sign her new book, "Love and Treasure," a novel about contraband masterpieces, love, tragedy and forgotten crimes. It focuses on the true history of the Hungarian Gold Train during WWII. She will be introduced at the talk by Ann Packer. April 2, 7:30 p.m. Free. Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call 650-324-4321. www.keplers.com/event/ayelet-waldman-1

Jeanne Farr McDonnell: 'The Joy of Research' The museum will host author Jeanne Farr McDonnell, who will speak about "The Joy of Research: When Suddenly You Get it from People, Books, Files and Objects," based on her experience in writing the book "Juana Briones of Nineteenth-Century California." April 5, 1-4 p.m. $5 adults; $3 students/seniors. San Mateo County History Museum, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City. www.historysmc.org

John L'Heureux Talk John L'Heureux will give a talk and book signing for his newest book, "The Medici Boy." The hardcover delivers a narrative of the creative genius, Donatello, at his artistic height. L'Heureux has taught at Georgetown, Tufts, and Harvard, as well as at Stanford for more than 35 years. April 9, 7:30 p.m. Free. Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Call 650-324-4321 . www.keplers.com

Katherine Maxfield Book Talk Katherine Maxfield will talk about and sign her new book, "Starting Up Silicon Valley: How Rolm Became a Cultural Icon and Fortune 500 Company." Before Facebook and even Apple, four young men worked in a prune-drying shed designing a tough computer. That was the founding of ROLM Corporation, when the orchards of Santa Clara County were being transformed into what would become Silicon Valley. April 8, 7:30 p.m. Free. Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. www.keplers.com/event/katherine-maxfield

Robert Louis Stevenson Talk Marissa Schleicher — the director of the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum in St. Helena, Calif. — will give an illustrated PowerPoint presentation. A book club conversation of Stevenson's "Treasure Island" will follow. Homemade snacks will be on hand. April 7, 1-2 p.m. Free. Woodside Library, 3140 Woodside Road, Woodside. Call 650-851-0147. www.smcl.org

Posting an item on Town Square is simple and requires no registration. Just complete this form and hit "submit" and your topic will appear online.
Please be respectful and truthful in your postings so Town Square will continue to be a thoughtful gathering place for sharing community information
and opinion. All postings are subject to our TERMS OF USE, and may be deleted if deemed inappropriate by our staff.

We prefer that you use your real name, but you may use any "member" name you wish.